The Central government has issued a directive to all states, urging heightened vigilance regarding any unexpected deaths among domestic birds and poultry. States are instructed to promptly communicate such occurrences to the Animal Husbandry Department to facilitate the initiation of public health measures in accordance with the national Avian Influenza action plan.
According to a joint advisory released on May 25 by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, four states in 2024 have already witnessed outbreaks of Avian influenza in poultry. These states include Andhra Pradesh (Nellore), Maharashtra (Nagpur), Kerala (Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta districts), and Jharkhand (Ranchi).
"Given that Avian Influenza (H5N1) infection is highly pathogenic and has the potential to be transmitted to humans, it is imperative to take all necessary measures to minimize and prevent the spread of this infection," the joint advisory said.
As per a PTI report, the Avian Influenza virus, commonly known as the bird flu virus, typically persists in circulation within migratory bird populations in nature. It has been observed to trigger outbreaks among domestic poultry birds, possibly through spill-over events occurring when migratory birds interact with poultry.
According to the joint advisory, the H5N1 strain is the predominant Avian influenza virus responsible for numerous poultry outbreaks worldwide. Both highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses have the potential to infect other mammalian species, including humans, albeit infrequently. Human infections typically occur through direct contact with infected poultry or exposure to contaminated environments, as outlined in the advisory.
Although there have been sporadic reports in humans and outbreaks among domestic and wild birds, since March 2024, there is a global concern over Avian influenza outbreaks in cattle from multiple states in the US that have resulted in one reported human case of H5N1, the joint advisory stated.